Atlantic Selects Squad Announced for Academy Clash

With files from Atlantic Selects Rugby

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Halifax, NS (April 19, 2023) – The Atlantic Selects, Atlantic Canada’s High Performance Men’s Rugby Team, today released their roster to face the Toronto Arrows Senior Academy in Toronto this Sunday, April 23. The Selects were founded in 2021 to renew high performance men’s rugby in Atlantic Canada and provide a pathway to play professional rugby and for Canada’s National Team.

This is a rubber match of sort vs the Arrows Academy, the Development team of Major League Rugby’s Toronto Arrows. The Selects dropped an October 2021 match in Toronto before finding the bullseye of victory last June in Halifax during the Coast-to-Coast Cup.

The Selects are coming off a key victory on March 23rd when they soundly defeated Mystic River Rugby Club of Boston, a top US club team and development affiliate of Major League Rugby’s New England Free Jacks.

“We are excited to name a strong 23-man roster featuring players from all-four Atlantic Provinces, including 12 different rugby clubs, and Canada’s Development Academy, the Pacific Pride. Our young squad is gaining confidence with each game played, is working hard as a group, and all want to impress at the next level,” said Selects head Coach David Jackson.

“We are ready to once again test ourselves and show our East Coast “style” against the Arrows, a team which trains regularly in a professional environment. We have improved a lot since we first went to Toronto with better preparation and training, and the experience of knowing what we’re up against,” said Selects Captain Alex Forrest of the Charlottetown Rugby Football Club.

This game is a key tune up game for big games to come. On June 17 and June 24, the Selects return to Halifax for their key competition this year, the Coast-to-Coast Cup where they will face the BC Bears and the Arrows Academy for the Coast-to-Coast Anchor.

“We are ready to raise our game to the next level and give our players the chance to show they can step up to a professional level. And we hope to have a big crew of fans from Atlantic Canada cheering us on and showing what East Coast Rugby is all about!” said Selects GM Dr. John Gillis.

For further information contact Dr. Gillis at [email protected] or 9024885445

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Game details: 13:00 EDT, 14:00 ADT, York Alumni Stadium, Toronto, ON

Selects Roster

BACKS
Matt Chediac, Pictou County RFC
Jimmy Clarke, Swilers RFC/Pacific Pride, St. John’s
Johnny Cullen, Loyalists RFC, Fredericton
Thomas Goetz, Town of Mount Royal RFC, Montreal
Hamdan Jaweed, Halifax RFC
Sam Newhook, (VC) Baymen RFC, Conception Bay South
Cameron Pope, TARS RFC, Halifax
Lucas Shortall, Swilers RFC, St. John’s
Archie Whillock, TARS RFC, Halifax

FORWARDS
Nigel Bannister, TARS RFC, Halifax
Hudson Barnaby, Black Tide RFC, Moncton
Austin Comeau, Enfield RFC
Sheldon Cudmore, Charlottetown RFC
Nick Davidson, Trojans RFC, Saint John
Sean Doyle, Charlottetown RFC
Alex Forrest (C), Charlottetown RFC
Taku Jaravaza, TARS RFC, Halifax
Evan Logan, TARS RFC, Halifax
Eddie Mahar, Black Tide RFC, Moncton
Ethan McCarthy, TARS RFC, Halifax
Sam Miller, Valley Rugby Union/Pacific Pride, Windsor
Seif Sanad, TARS RFC/Pacific Pride, Halifax
Jayden Woodworth, Loyalists RFC, Fredericton

STAFF
Head Coach- David Jackson
Attack Coach- Mike Hamson
Defense Coach- Curtis Lauzon
Head Therapist- Nick Russell
Tour Road Manager- Elliott Kayser
Senior Advisors- Dr. Brendan Parfrey and Morgan Lovell
General Manager- Dr. John Gillis

Note: The Arrows Academy roster will be announced later this week.